Method for warning a user of a road vehicle about an approaching vehicle

Abstract

A method for alerting a user of a road vehicle (B-F, 4 ) for a neighbouring priority vehicle (A, 1 ) is provided. First data, indicating to the current position of the priority vehicle and the next part of its planned route, are transmitted to other road vehicles the road vehicle and/or its user. The road vehicle and/or its user receives the first data and compares it to second data, indicating the current position of the road vehicle and/or the next part of its planned route. An alert is output to the user when the comparison of the first and second data indicates that the current position or any position within the next part of the planned route of the priority vehicle will coincides with the current position or any position within the next part of a planned route of the road vehicle. The next part of the planned route of the priority vehicle or road vehicle respectively may cover at least the next two road intersections along its planned route, making it possible to provide selective warnings for possible coincidence of the vehicles beyond the next intersection.

1 . A method of alerting a user of a first road vehicle (B-F,  4 ) about an approaching second road vehicle (A,  1 ), comprising the steps of:
 generating a planned route to be followed by at least one of the first and second road vehicle;   comparing information derived from current positions of the first and second road vehicle, using a next part of the planned route of at least one of the first and second road vehicle to determine a possible coincidence of future locations of the first and second road vehicle according to the next part of the planned route;   outputting an alert in the first road vehicle to its user when the comparison indicates a possible collision according to next part of the planned route.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a planned route is generated for the second road vehicle, first data indicating a current position and/or current part of the planned route of the second road vehicle and the next part of the planned route for the second road vehicle, the first data being transmitted from the second road vehicle and received by the first road vehicle, said comparing being performed in the first road vehicle based on the received first data. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein a planned route is generated for the first road vehicle, said comparing being performed in the first road vehicle based on the received first data, to determine a possible coincidence of future locations of the first and second road vehicle according to the next part of the planned routes of the first and second road vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the planned route comprises way points, said next part of the planned route that is used in said comparing covering at least the next two waypoints of the planned route from the current position. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein first data indicating a current position of the second road vehicle and the next part of the planned route for the second road vehicle is transmitted from the second road vehicle, the first data being transmitted the format of the first and second data meet the RDS-TMC and/or Alert C standards. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the user is alerted by means of its radio receiver and/or navigation system. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein first data indicating a current position of the second road vehicle and the next part of the planned route for the second road vehicle is transmitted from the second road vehicle, the first data being broadcast directly to any road vehicle within reception range from the second vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . A system for alerting a user of a first road vehicle (B-F,  4 ) about an approaching second road vehicle (A,  1 ), wherein the system comprises
 a receiver configured to receive a transmission of first data from the second road vehicle, the first data comprising an indication of a current position of the second vehicle and the next part of the planned route for the second vehicle;   an alert signal rendering device;   a processor ( 8 ), configured to compare the first data with second data derived from a current position of the first road vehicle, using the next part of the planned route of the second road vehicle to determine a possible coincidence of future locations of the first and second road vehicle according to the next part of the planned route and to cause the alert signal rendering device to alert the user of the possible collision when the comparison of the first and second data indicates a possible collision.   
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 8 , comprising a route planning sub-system, configured to generate a planned route for the first vehicle, the processor ( 8 ), being configured to use the next part of the planned routes of the first and second road vehicles to determine a possible coincidence of future locations of the first and second road vehicle according to the next parts of the planned routes of the first and second road vehicles. 
     
     
         10 . System according to  claim 8 , wherein the planned route comprises waypoints (a-g), the next part of the planned route of the second road vehicle covering at least the next two waypoints of its route. 
     
     
         11 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiver and/or the processor are configured to process the first data according to the RDS-TMC and/or Alert C standards. 
     
     
         12 . A system for alerting a user of a first road vehicle (B-F,  4 ) about an approaching second road vehicle (A,  1 ), wherein the system comprises
 a navigation system in the second road vehicle, configured to determine a current position of the second vehicle and to give route directions in the second vehicle, according to a planned route of the second road vehicle;   a transmitter configured to transmit first data from the second road vehicle, the first data comprising an indication of a current position of the second vehicle and a next part of the planned route for the second vehicle.   
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 12 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the first data using the RDS-TMC and/or Alert C standards.